Is the construction industry too slow to adapt to the latest technological trends? Many industry insiders tend to think so. In fact, the industry on the whole is often criticized for being slow to embrace today’s incredible new technological advances.
The Smart Phone’s Impact on the Construction World
Before we take a closer look at drones and their impact on the way we work in the construction field, it’s important to take a look at another new and interesting type of technology that has turned this industry on its head: the smart phone.
Smart phones play a big role in construction now. For on-the-job time tracking, employers and employees can instantly access time tracking apps like Clockspot from their smart devices for easy job site time tracking. Job scheduling is another significant feature that many timesheet apps make available to construction foremen at the building site. Utilizing GPS tracking is another advanced feature that many construction companies are using to improve on-site job safety.
But this is only touching the tip of the iceberg. Drones – our newest piece of exciting technology – are really having a huge impact on the construction world. And we’re ready to tell you all about it.
How Are Drones Positively Affecting the Construction Industry?
Based on the latest research figures, drone sales in the United States (also known as an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) have risen by 35% in 2015. And when looking at this industry globally, sales have risen by $4.3 million, and it’s currently estimated that the entire industry is now worth $1.7 billion in total.
Filmmakers are currently taking advantage of drones and using them in their movies.
You may not realize it, but architects and construction managers are also utilizing this advanced technology as well. Drones can see things that humans can’t. And for safety reasons, drones could go places that no human beings would dare to travel.
The Many Ways Construction Managers Are Using Drones
If you’re having a difficult time wrapping your head around the ways that construction managers use drones, you are in for a treat my friend.
One way drones are used in this industry is to document progress.
Construction managers need to keep their bosses apprised of their overall progress. Having a drone fly over a construction site is one way to film and document worker progress. This lets construction company higher-ups see how work is progressing on their latest and most essential projects.
It’s interesting because drones have the ability to save their flight path. This feature is very beneficial to construction companies because once the initial flight path is saved, the drone can fly and take pictures and video footage while going through the same pattern on a weekly or monthly basis.
Why is this useful?
Well, by flying the same pattern, construction company higher-ups can see progress in real time. They can review the prior week or month’s pictures and video and then compare it to the newest pictures and videos to truly see how much progress has been made on-the-job.
But tracking progress is only one piece of the puzzle. Drones can do so much more.
Another huge advantage of this technology is that it can be used for safety monitoring, on-the-job inspections, on-site surveys, and much more.
There’s even a Japanese manufacturer called Komatsu currently creating a system that will give them the ability to produce 3-D models from drone footage. They are working on this project with another company called Skycatch. Imagine the possibilities this powerful 3-D model can offer the construction industry.
Conclusion
Sure, the construction industry may have been slow to adapt to the latest technology in the past. But they are currently making up for it in spades by exploiting drone technology in so many unique and interesting ways.
